“A coup?” My father paced. “Tell me she’s wrong, Beck.” My father clenched his fists at his side and turned to face the three on their knees with me. The doctor and nurse long forgotten. “Tell me she’s just young and foolish. Tell me she is misunderstanding this. Tell me she’s wrong Beck!” The roar was enough to shake the windows and the wall.
But Beck just sneered and turned his face to his mate. “Amara, I love you.”
My father raged, and half shifted as he screamed again. “You were my brother! One of my best friends!”
“One ofourbest friends.” Ronnie had silently opened the door to the bathroom, breaking the seal on the door.
“You’re dead.” Beck screamed and tried to stand.
“You didn’t do a good enough job.” Ronnie scoffed as he walked out, finally completely healed. He stomped over to my father, clearly hanging on to his anger by a thread. “I came here to tell Gavin that you betrayed us. Him. But thankfully Amy saw behind your mask before any of us could have.” Ronnie came over to me and kissed my forehead. “Thank you pup.”
“How are you alive?” Beck screamed, veins in his neck bulging.
“I saved him.” I looked up next to my father and Ronnie. “My blood saved him. He made it here, even though you betrayed him, surprised him and attacked him, poisoned him, he was strong enough to make it here, and the doctor and nurses saved him. And do you want to know why?”
“Why he’s alive?” I nodded. “You just said it!” the venom in his words curled my stomach.
I laughed. “He could make it here because my grandfather wasn’t stupid enough to include you in the training he did. He might have been a horrible father, but he recognized who you were deep down.” I lifted my hand to trace my finger down Beck’s face. “You could have all lived well here, the Gammas of this pack, cared for even. The best friend of the Alpha and Beta. You could have thrived here.” I turned to Amara and her grandmother. “You could have used your power to help this pack thrive and you would have been rewarded.” I felt my eyes shift to the golden hue of Nix’s and my voice grew smoky. “Now you, Amara, Aurora, and their grandmother are all going to die.” I watched as the two women reacted. Their eyes grew wider, andI smirked. I grabbed a tendril of her hair and twirled it around my finger. “Come now. Amara, you are the mirror image of Aurora. Dark to her light. But wicked to the bone, same as her.” I dropped her hair and reached for the older woman.
“Don’t touch me.” Her voice was firm, but it still trembled with her fear.
“Your power won’t help you now.” I snatched all the necklaces from around her neck and I yanked. Chains and threads snapped, amulets and beads flying around the room as both women screamed. “You won’t be needing any of these where you are going.”
“My spells!” The hag tried to bend down to collect the shattered pieces of her power, but she was still stuck within my grasp. I grabbed the few necklaces around Amara’s neck and yanked those free as well.
“You.” I pointed to the older woman, “When you die, you will fade on to the next life and may the Gods have better judgement than they did this time. You don’t deserve to have any power until you learn how to wield it without harm. But you Amara, you and Aurora have to answer to the Moon Goddess herself. She blessed you with your wolf and power. Yet somehow you still turned from her path and betrayed her people, your people.” I leaned in and whispered into her ear as she trembled next to me. “I don’t think she will be as forgiving as she is known to be.”
“You don’t know that.” Her voice was small.
I felt a second hand touch my shoulder, and I saw a blinding light flash as a tingling sensation took over my forehead. There were a few gasps that went around the room and Amara sat back on her heels, Beck slumped against my hold and Amara’s grandmother prayed to the three-headed Goddess she worshiped.
“Moon blessed.” I heard a nurse whisper, and I turned to look at my father.
“Daddy?” I tilted my head as Ronnie’s mouth dropped open and my father smiled as he took out his phone and snapped a picture. “What are you doing? What’s wrong?”
He turned his phone so that I could see. I was kneeling on the floor. My eyes were still golden, my black hair was a mess, my face a mask of confusion. But blazing on my forehead was a silver crescent moon. The moon shone as if a fire burned behind it. “Nothing is wrong. Just the Goddess herself agreeing with you.”
“I look a mess.” I absently said as I studied the moon on my face.
“You are stunning, baby girl.” My dad pulled back his phone.
“I can’t walk around with a glowing moon on my forehead…” I could feel the worry bubbling up, but my father just chuckled.
“It’s already fading. I think she was just supporting you.” I turned back to the three on the ground and I could see the fight had gone out of them. My dad crouched down next to me. “Now. Why did you betray me?” But Beck just glared back at my father. Ronnie helped me to my feet, and the door opened to warriors. “Take these three to the cells. I’ll deal with them later.”
“Wait!” I held out a hand.
“What?” My father turned to look at me with furrowed brows.
I turned to look at the three before me. “I command you Beck and Amara to never command another wolf to do your bidding. May the Moon Goddess take your rank away.” I felt the power leave me as the two screamed.
“Amy.” Ronnie sputtered beside me.
“They would have tried to weasel their way out of this by using their power to escape. I won’t allow them to escape punishment.” I glared as the warrior’s came in and pulled them up off the ground.
Once the warriors moved the three out of the room, the doctor and nurses checked both Ronnie and me out once more, andthen they left as well. I finally collapsed against the bed, and Ronnie and my father came to stand in front of me.
“Are you alright?” My dad stared down at me until I nodded.
